Life, 1917-12-06 · page 64 of 92
Life — December 6, 1917 — page 64: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Left side:** A patriotic Christmas poem asserting that WWI (likely 1917-1918) unites all Americans—"The War is Yours and Ours and Hers and His"—dissolving class distinctions through shared duty. **"Pro Capricornus" essay:** A scathing social critique using the scapegoat metaphor. The author argues that sheep (representing society's masses) are inferior to goats—stupid, helpless, requiring constant direction, prone to following others blindly even toward self-destruction. This appears to be satirizing either the public's passive acceptance of war or broader critiques of mob mentality and the working class as mindless followers. **Right side:** "Boys Will Be Boys" shows three comic strips depicting mischievous children—common entertainment content for the era. This juxtaposes light humor against the page's heavier patriotic and social commentary. The page blends propaganda (unity through war), social satire (criticizing public conformity), and lighthearted comics—typical of Life's varied editorial approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
This Christmas © Christmas in Amerien since first Cohunbus came Was eber quite like this one. A hot and purging flame Has kmit our hearts and purified: as long as it endures The War is Mine and Thine and His and Fers and Ours—and Yours! Ale all have tasks from tubicl there lies ne true exemption claim; Hour ald ve young or rich or poor, the duty is the sue: From linked hearts seize double strength! And all along the line, This War is Yours and Ours and Hers and His and Thine—and Aline! Pro Capricomnus two thousand years ago he was driven into the O’ wilderness with the sins of a nation upon his head, and he has been “the goat” ever since. But it isn’t on record that he has ever complained by so much as a single bleat. He's the most brilliant living example of the hard life of a dog with a bad name As time went on his name figured, without his consent and invidiously, in the well-known division from the sheep. If the sheep partook more of the characteristics of the goat, he (the sheep) would be a far more admirable mem- ber of societ: Times have changed. The Israclites are no longer the chosen people, except in moments of financial stress, and the day has passed when the sheep should be held up as a model to the world at large. Do you know what the sheep is? He is that most despicable of all things a—in modern parla Turn him out upon a range, miles in extent has eaten all the grass within a radius of a hundred yards, he'll starve in sight of plenty unless he’s driven— mind you, driven—a little farther along. And at that, if there's one thing in the field that can make him sick, he'll cat it in spite of the world and try his very best to dic A lamb may be innocent, and probably is, but he’s stupid to a degree. He is but a poor, clumsy object at best, with his unsteady legs, bigger at the bottom than the the top, and with every possible bit of trash clinging to his wool; and baa-baa-ing around all over the place. In our great marts he is, and rightly, the symbol of the witless reat The sheep has no nerve. He'll butt anyone in the back, but will retreat ignominiously before a steady eye. He has no initiative, and is such an imitator that he'll spring off a precipice to certain death just because he sees another do it. Such foolishness is unp fashionable socicty |, except in our most Look him in the face and you will Boys Will Be Boys THE DOINGS OF TWO COMIC-SUPPLEMENT DARLINGS comicbook